The Virus

Chapter 7

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Sam dropped onto what she had claimed as her log. Tara and Sophie had managed to acquire their own tent so she and Cassie had the tent and fire to themselves now, well the three of them did. The Colonel had joined her and Cassie for most their meals over the past few days. They had fallen into a routine and seemed to converge around the fire around the same time at breakfast, lunch and dinner - not that it had ever been discussed.

"How did the negotiations go today?" She looked across the fire to the Colonel who looked tired and grumpy.

"We got nowhere, as usual." Definitely grumpy. She leant forward and put the kettle over the fire, pleased to find Cassie had remembered to fill it after lunch. It had become the girl's job to ensure they had plenty of water before night fell, traipsing down to the stream in the dark was not fun. "What did you do today?"

"We got in contact with the scientist team on PX3925." She pulled out two mugs and their dwindling coffee supply as she spoke. "They aren't getting very far on the cure unfortunately." She gave him a one shouldered shrug, she hadn't been surprised at the news. The team had only begun working on it three weeks earlier.

"What about a vaccination?" Sam picked up the steaming mugs and headed around the fire to his side so that she could hand him his mug. Before she could head back to her log his hand flew out and grabbed her wrist. "Sit next to me." She looked down in surprise. "I don't bite." He gave her his lopsided grin and her stomach flip flopped. Without a word she followed his orders and sat down.

"You don't bite huh?" She nudged him playfully in the ribs.

"Well… not often." They sat in silence for a while, thighs touching and every now and again his elbow would bump hers. She was enjoying the contact, however small it was and it took her a while to remember he had asked her a question.

"Vaccines are not the highest priority at the moment." She sighed. "We need to work on helping those that are sick before we can work on the prevention."

"Right, I knew that." She found herself staring into the flames, entranced. "Where is Cassie?" He suddenly asked.

"She's made friends with some of the villagers and they are having her over for dinner. She invited me but…" Sam trailed off. She wasn't sure why she hadn't gone, she just didn't feel very social after her day. She was desperately waiting for some positive news and the more days that passed with nothing the more depressed she felt.

"I know how you feel." She met his eyes and felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. Of course he knew how she felt… but while she had never been social as such – she was certainly more social than he had ever been.

"I wouldn't have minded using their bathroom, but I don't think they would have appreciated it if I had turned up to use their bathroom and then just left."

"It's the little things huh? I miss real coffee." He held his mug up to prove his point. She looked down at her own half empty mug and had to agree. She had often snuck out of the base when she wasn't supposed to just to grab a coffee from the local café.

"Where is Daniel tonight?" She asked. He had also joined them for many of their meals. The Colonel jerked his head to the left in answer and she peered around him. The fire next to them was occupied by a few people she didn't know and one she did… the woman next to Daniel. She was an anthropologist by the name of Eva Harrison. She smiled knowingly at her CO. Daniel always made lady friends – everywhere he went.

"I don't know how he does it!"

"It's his boyish charm." She chuckled.

"This is going to sound kind of strange." She turned to face him with what she hoped was an open expression on her face. The Colonel? Strange? Never. "But I want you to grab your sleeping bag and come with me." Her eyes widened.

"Uh… maybe you could tell me why?"

"Nothing inappropriate!" He insisted. "Just come with me, okay?"

"Okay." She trusted him. She probably trusted him more than anyone else in her life to be honest. Plus she was curious now. Sam folded her sleeping bag and tucked it under her arm. On exiting the tent she found the Colonel standing a few feet away his own sleeping bag in his arms.

"This way." He pointed to the trees.

"Really?" She cocked her head. In the dark?

"I have a flashlight." He pulled it out and switched it on. As they trudged through the long grass to the trees her curiosity peaked.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"You will see."

"I hate surprises."

"Shut up and keep walking." She was annoying him, perfect. He would break soon enough, she truly did hate surprises.

"Is that an order?"

"Yes."

He stopped so suddenly she walked straight into him. He turned around to steady her with his hands. She couldn't see him in front of her because the flashlight must have fallen and switched itself off. Without her sight all her other senses snapped to attention and she felt the warmth of his breath on her face, could smell him, and the feel of his hands clutching her forearms suddenly felt like a death grip. "Sir?" She whispered. She wasn't sure why she was whispering.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She felt his arms slip from her wrists, up her arms and one hand lifted to cup her face. She sucked in a breath but he quickly let go and she felt him take a step backwards. She heard him fumbling around for the fallen flashlight and she stood still trying to regain control of her breathing. Had that really just happened? She could have sworn his face had moved closer like… he was going to kiss her… but he wouldn't. They couldn't. Why would he do that?

"Alrighty," the light came back on and she stepped up next to him as if nothing strange had just happened.

"Where to now?" She asked.

"This way." He led them for what felt like hours but was probably less than thirty minutes until they reached a grassy clearing. "Here we are." He swept his arm out and bowed slightly. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. He stepped in front of her again though and once he reached the middle he lay down his sleeping bag and flopped onto his back, his hands behind his head. He was looking up at the stars! He looked up at her and gestured to the spot beside him.

She lay her sleeping bag next to his and matched his position, laying on her back. The view was spectacular. They lay for a long time without words and it wasn't until he rolled over to face her that words began spilling from her mouth.

"Colonel Fray was infected." She felt a pain in her chest as her memories came back. "I saw him in the isolation room before… before he died."

"Colonel Fray was a good man." The Colonel told her with a sad sigh.

"I had seen the news footage from all over the world… the rioting and looting and even pictures of people who had been infected with the virus… but nothing was as hard as seeing Colonel Fray. It was all too real. I mean… I knew him… but it was also being only on the other side of the glass and seeing him struggling like that… the seizures were horrific. They gave him enough sedative to knock out a horse but he still kept having fits." She paused and closed her eyes tightly trying to keep some semblance of control over her emotions. Everything was still so incredibly raw though. "It was the blood pooling in his throat that ended up killing him. He must have bit his tongue and he literally choked to death. Maybe he was one of the lucky ones… he was only on day two of the virus. Some people were aware and in agony for up to four days. I can't think of a more horrific way to die."

"I'm sorry you had to see that." In the moonlight she could see the sincerity in his face. She turned to face him, holding herself up on one elbow. He reached out and took her hand in his, entangling their fingers. It didn't feel wrong in this moment, it felt natural.

"As soon as he… passed… I went and got permission to bring Cassie in. General Hammond had of course begun organising our evacuation procedure. I'd been off-world when it first struck. I don't think anyone knew quite how fast it would spread." She trailed off. "I called you as soon as I reached my house and found Cassie waiting for me." He squeezed her hand, urging her to keep speaking. She licked her lips and finally asked the question that had been burning in the back of her mind. "Why didn't you go back to base as soon as you heard about the virus? Surely General Hammond called you days before I did."

"I had my phone turned off, I didn't get the General's message until earlier on the same day that you called me." He pressed his lips together as if trying to come up with an explanation. "I wasn't sure if I was going to evacuate." She felt the colour drain from her face. Was he telling her… he wanted to die? "I wasn't sure if I was infected. I'd been to dinner at the local sheriff's the night before and he came down with the virus the following day."

"You should have gone to get tested right away!" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Why hadn't he told her this over the phone?

"I should have." He at least admitted she was right. "If I was infected, I knew there was nothing anyone could do."

"Jack… you have people who really care about you… you know that right?" Her heart ached as she spoke the words.

"Yes I do." He let go of her hand and rolled back onto his back. "I made a mistake, I should have gotten tested and… gone to the base right away." She shuffled over feeling the damp grass in the gap between their sleeping bags. She hesitated only a moment before snuggling into his side and wrapping one arm over his waist. He stiffened for a moment but then relaxed and wrapped his own arm around her shoulders tugging her closer.

"I'm glad you are okay, and Cassie's okay." She whispered feeling tears stinging her eyes.

For the past few weeks she had held back thoughts of Earth… of all the people left behind to die. She wanted to stay strong for Cassie and all those that had escaped. But now she found herself picturing the lady who always served her at her local diner, her neighbours, her friends… and her family. She let the tears fall as she thought of her brother Mark, his wife and their two small children. She had called them after speaking with the Colonel on the phone but Mark had informed her they were all infected. She had thrown the phone at the wall after hanging up from him. Cassie had stood next to her in shock, she supposed anger was not something the girl had often seen in her. But anger was safer than grief. It wasn't until now, tucked up safely against her Colonel's side that she could finally let herself grieve for all that had been lost.

TBC.